Going Natural – Part 4 – Switching to Essential Oils

Perhaps you are finally ready to take the plunge into using essential oils. You are probably already familiar with essential oils, whether you choose to use them or fragrance oils in your products. An essential oil is a liquid that is distilled, typically by steam distillation, from the leaves, flowers, stems, roots, bark, or other parts of a plant. The distillation process allows the “essence” of the plant and its therapeutic qualities to remain intact. Essential oils are highly concentrated and should be used sparingly. Lavender and Tea Tree oil are safe for direct skin contact, but all other essential oils must be diluted before applying to the skin. They are used for both their aroma and their medicinal qualities and can be used in most of your products.

Fragrance oils are artificially created or contain synthetic substances and do not offer the therapeutic benefits that essential oils do. Either manner of scenting your products is perfectly acceptable, but if you are looking for natural ingredients with therapeutic qualities, essential oils would be your choice.

So which essential oils should you start with? Well this is completely personal preference, however, a good start would be the following essential oils, which can be used to make a number of combinations and work well in bath and body products, including soap.

It is recommended that you select a good book on essential oils and become familiar with their properties and warnings before creating products with essential oils. Also keep in mind that just because something is natural doesn’t mean it is good for you. Some essential oils should never be used on skin and have loads of medical contraindications.